21 November 2023 , 08:00
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John Aldridge believes neither Manchester City nor Chelsea will be hit with a huge points deduction just like Everton.
The Toffees received an immediate 10-point deduction on Friday after being found to have breached the Premier League's financial rules. Club chiefs confirmed they will appeal the punishment, one which has left them in the relegation zone.
Everton's points deduction has left City fans nervous. The European champions are the only other club to have been charged by the Premier League for breaching their financial rules. It's alleged they breached more than 100 rules between 2009 and 2018.
City are yet to discover what punishment, if any, the Premier League seek to impose. Chelsea could also face scrutiny over reports of payments connected to ex-owner Roman Abramovich, although they haven't been charged by the Premier League.
Yet Liverpool legend Aldridge, who has described Everton's points deduction as "excessive", thinks neither City nor Chelsea will face an Everton-style punishment. He believes the clubs have enough financial firepower to keep the Premier League quiet.
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"Everton were a sitting duck," Aldridge told the Liverpool ECHO. "I don't know how you gauge it so I guess it all comes down to what happens in future. We've all seen what's gone on with Chelsea under Roman Abramovich or everything at Man City - 115 charges.
"Was it because the other teams have gone on to do well? The others are in the top six? Perhaps it has to do with Everton not having the money to fight it.
"City have got unlimited amounts, Chelsea have got unlimited amounts, so they've scared off the people who are trying to do them for years, delaying and delaying... Everton physically could not do that - I'm sure they would have done too with the same resources."
Manchester City and Chelsea could also be hit with financial-related punishments (Visionhaus/Getty Images)Do you agree with John Aldridge? Let us know in the comments below!
Aldridge thinks the Premier League "have taken the easy option by going after Everton" but hopes it will be fair. He added: "The league are under pressure to do something and I'm waiting to see if they follow suit now, with that club (City) in particular.
"I hope that fairness prevails at the end of the day - if it is good enough for Everton then it is certainly good enough for City and any other club."
Some City fans are concerned about being kicked out of the Premier League. Everton were deduced 10 points for a single breach, but City have allegedly made 115 breaches. Both cases are unprecedented, meaning it's difficult to predict what will happen. City were charged by the Premier League in February - a month before Everton.
As for Chelsea, they were already under investigation by the Premier League over alleged financial breaches, which were reported to the authorities by Todd Boehly's consortium once they completed a takeover of the club from Abramovich in May 2022.
Now, a joint investigation by The Guardian and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism alleges that Chelsea made a string of other secret payments which could have breached financial rules. These allegations were only made earlier this month.